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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · bound · root · rash · trunk · rush · pit · shower

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rash — a series
  3. bound — certain
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cue — for pool
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rash — hasty
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cue — a hint
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cue — a signal
  17. root — of a word
  18. pit — a hole
  19. shower — rain
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rush — hurry
  22. root — the cause
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com